Reckoning: Chapter 52
by Michelle.Lee.PDX
Summary: Dru is becoming more and more powerful and independent. Her training continues as a psychic and superbeing. She has a vision that haunts her - is it the foreseen future or just a crazy dream? And this is it, Graves returns to the schola with an entrance you won't want to miss.


"Welcome to the party, Leander. Bride or Groom?" Leander didn't laugh at my attempt to make light of the grim situation.

"I apologize for my tardiness, Milady." Leander hopped off the rock wall and landed neatly, like a cat. "It appears that Milady Gogol's powers have reached full capacity now that the Century Hex has dissipated. I had hoped it would last longer, but alas, she is too powerful." Leander's facial expression was quite serious. I could tell because his eyebrows furrowed together.

I looked around as the fog began to clear. The number of casualties were more numerous than I had anticipated. There were nearly a dozen victims lying on the ground and some were in a state of paralysis caused by the fairies. "We've got to get these people some help, Leander. Can you undo a fairy freeze?" Leander nodded his head and quickly got to work attending to the injured.

I was still holding Nat up by her shoulders since she took a bump on the head from the blast. I led her inside the pool house and looked for a chair to sit her down in. I found one that was turned on the side and flipped it right side up. "Nat, are you still with me?" I assessed the cut on her head. It was starting to heal up but she needed stitches and probably a CT-scan.

"Dru, how bad is it?" Nat mumbled as she referred to the damage caused to her family and friends at the party. I glanced outside to guesstimate the damage.

"I don't see your mom and dad, or Shanks' parents. I'm guessing they made it out." I was trying to sound optimistic given the circumstances. "Help is on the way, Nat. Don't pass out on me. We've got a lot of stuff to finish still. You know… like throwing a wedding, planning a shower, attending a bachelorette party, planning our revenge on Lena, etcetera." Nat gave a weak laugh at my remark.

"Yeah, just a few minor things to do." She smiled as she spoke but kept her eyes half closed.

"Can you make it to the _schola_ on those two feet or do you need me to carry you, milady?" I joked to lighten the situation. Nat laughed as we made the trip to the infirmary.

The party turned out to be a disaster, which was my fault… again.

It took several hours to assess the damage and attend to the injured. Thomas, my guardsman for nearly three years, died protecting me, which was the Kourio way. He was nearby when the fairies attacked and shielded me from danger. Without a doubt he saved my life.

There were no other fatalities however several _wulfen_ were severely injured. While Nat was recovering in the infirmary she started to have doubts about her engagement. "Nature must be against our marriage. Maybe we should just postpone everything." She looked ready to cry.

"You know that's bull, Nat. It was just a coincidence." But in my head, I flashed on the premonition of a darkly robed figure kneeling over a _wulfen_ bride, drinking the lifeblood from the victim. _Lena is intent on killing Nat just to spite me. But that's not gonna happen… no matter what the cost._

The following day, we tried to carry on as normal as possible. Classes resumed so I met with Leander at the usual time for my next sorcery lesson… hex casting.

"Milady, casting a hex is something you have performed before, is it not?"

"Uh, yeah a few times, I guess." I remembered the time in my South Dakota high school when I choked our history teacher with a hex by accident. It freaked me out to lose control like that. At least now I could will myself to cast a hex rather than just getting pissed and having it all fly out.

"Good, then today you will learn to cast two important types of hexes – binding and maiming. These will be helpful to you when you have to face Milady. She is an expert in _malaika_ as well… therefore do not underestimate her abilities. Likely she will fight you on two levels… simultaneously. Your swordsmanship is equal to hers, if not better, but your sorcery abilities are nothing in comparison, at this time. Now, shall we begin?"

Leander's words felt like the pain caused by ripping off a BandAid. I got over it quickly though. Leander turned and started writing on the board. "There are four steps to hexing. Learn this and all else is simple."

_1. __Call upon your divinity _

_2. __Focus on the goal_

_3. __Ground yourself_

_4. __Release the energy_

He explained each step several times over until I was ready to try. "Now I believe it's only fair that you use the binding hex… on me."

My eyes grew wide with the realization of his words. "Huh? I'm sorry, Leander. Did you just offer yourself up as the guinea pig?"

"That I did, Milady." He cleared his throat before continuing. "It is with deepest regret that I used the paralysis potion on you before I knew who or what you were. My use of it, almost two years ago, was in poor judgment. Maybe I can alleviate my guilty conscience for that unfortunate, unfortunate situation."

"O-kay. What if I mess up? What could happen?" _Please don't tell me I could kill you._

There was a long pause of silence. "The fact of the matter is that anything could happen, even death. Now, no further delays, Milady. _Cali'e calate haiṁ_. Let's go."

Eleven minutes later I found myself staring at the ceiling, while sitting on the teak stool in the sorcery classroom. A motionless and frozen, but alive, Leander stood across from me. _The goddam hex worked._ The real question was… just how long would it last? So I stayed and waited. And waited.

Finally after two hours and forty-seven minutes, Leander made a noise. "Ah choo!" A restrained sneeze echoed in the room.

I jumped off my chair and approached carefully. "Holy crap! Leander, are you okay? Can you talk yet?"

Leander blinked twice. I sensed that meant _no_. After another six minutes, he was able to speak and move his body slowly. I remembered what it felt like to be paralyzed and I didn't enjoy it. Leander was shaking uncontrollably as his teeth chattered.

"Never… let me… volunteer… again… Milady. We are…. finished… for today. Thursday?" He motioned for me to go with shaky hands.

I nodded then left the room feeling a bit guilty for stunning Leander for such a long time. I couldn't help but smirk at the situation as well. _He was right, payback was a bitch._

The next day dinner in the caf with Nat, Ash, Shanks and Dibs was unusually quiet. We still hadn't processed all that happened over the weekend. Nat and Shanks were angry as hell at Lena for the destruction she caused. Dibs and Ash lurked on the periphery of the conversation to stay out of the line of fire. As for myself, I couldn't help but think about Thomas and his sacrifice as my guardsman. I owed it to him to select my own detail.

"So what's the plan?" Shanks fiddled with the mashed potatoes using his fork. I had already been thinking about our strategy non-stop. August and I met the day before to debrief and he was willing to support my team's plan to target Lena before she attacked again. He promised me he could get the Order's support.

"Good question." I scanned the faces that stared back at me. All of their _wulfen_ eyes were half-glowing with curiosity in the evening light. _How am I going to represent the Kourio, my people, and fight for the wulfen's rights at the same time? Will I be seen as traitor once my friends find out that I'm going to be in the Pactus?_

I told my friends about Lena's past and her powers. I explained how she turned dark and finally was hexed by the Maharaj for a hundred years. I even explained how Christophe had hunted her down for months and finally he and his partner managed to bind her but his friend lost his life in the process. That was the dividing point between the Maharaj and the Kourio until I came along.

"No shit?" Shanks' mouth gaped open as I explained what I knew. Even Ash was oddly quiet and just looked at me from behind his long bangs.

"Well Dru, now we know what we're dealing with. I guess that explains why Reynard ditched the schola… to find his sister again. It doesn't seem like Lena is buying his effort to not seem interested in you, Dru. She seems to think that you're the pollen to his bee."

"Very cute, Nat." I blushed remembering how Christophe often stays around me. It's like he's on some gravitational pull and can't seem to go very far. Even now I'm doubtful that he's out of the vicinity. It's practically his nature to be nearby. _I miss that feeling of security Christophe provides._

"Okay, team. Now that we know Lena can control stuff, we need to be prepared to fight on her level. Let's get to business."

That night after we spent three hours strategizing, I made it back to my suite where Benjamin was waiting by the door. Before I turned in, I stopped. "Benjamin, I just want you to know that I'm grateful for your protection and your loyalty. Being around me isn't easy, I get it. But I don't take you or the others for granted. I will be holding auditions for my guardsman soon. Would you mind helping me select them? Of course there is a position for you if you want it too."

He was speechless at my gesture and the fact that I seemed to finally understand the seriousness of the situation being svetocha and all. "I would be honored, Milady." He made a small tip of his head and opened the door to my suite. "Good night, Dru."

I fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow. The dreams that followed could only be described as intense. "Kochana, listen to me." Christophe's face was bloodied and bruised. I held him in my arms and surveyed the damage around us. We were in some sort of cavern with only minimal light from several lamps. I could tell that Christophe was mortally wounded.

"You're going to be fine, Chris. I'm going to get us out of here, you'll see." I could feel a hot tear trickling down my face. I lied knowing that I would be the last person he would see in this life. Christophe believed in the seven levels of existence and this life was only temporary to him.

"Listen please, Dru. We don't have much time left. Lena wants my blood but more than that she wants yours. If she were to drink from you then there would not be an end to her power. She would have the ability to conquer the continents for eternity. My life doesn't matter anymore… yours is all that is important. Take my blood _milna_ and let it be done. Avoid the blood dark. I will be too weak to stop you but this is the only way."

My fully extended claws dug into Christophe's arm and shoulders as I drank from his carotid artery. His blood was familiar and intoxicating. A throaty moan came out of my body uncontrollably. I remembered the taste of him and how I couldn't, and didn't want to stop the last time. Graves had to physically pull my body away from Christophe's arm while others pushed in the opposite direction. As I drank, I saw images of myself in Christophe's mind. He loved me with all that he was. And he had waited six lifetimes in order to find me.

Christophe's hands pushed at my body. He was trying to signal me to stop drinking. "Dru… that's good now." There was no response. "Kochana, you have to stop." I ignored his plea. "Dru! Pull away before it's too late." I heard him begging, but that didn't seem to matter.

I awoke from the dream with a startle and jumped out of my bed, spilling onto the carpeted floor. "What the fuck was that?" Sweat beaded on my forehead and I was panting like a cheetah that just caught a gazelle. I pulled my legs into my chest and squeezed tightly as I rested my head on my knees. I closed my eyes._ It was just a dream… it was just a dream… it was only a dream. _

The next day, the chopper arrived at the _schola_ with one very important visitor, Nadia Q. She and I were escorted to the faculty chambers where I would be instructed on negotiation techniques.

"Milady, why do you think that you have such a strong bond with the _wulfen_?" Nadia looked at me from across the room as she stood at the mantle. I thought she was dressed very smartly in a tan colored pantsuit with green pumps. _Not really my style but she looks comfortable and strangely confident. Is she a human?_

"Um, I dunno." I fidgeted as she waited for me to answer. I got the feeling that she was trying to wheedle information out of me. "Maybe because I talk to them like a normal person?" My remark didn't mean to sound sarcastic but it did.

Nadia straightened her jacket before she spoke again. "Dru, you have an attitude that is often perceived as… smugness. Are you aware of that?"

_Who the hell is she to talk to me about a 'tude? _"I've been given that criticism before, not as directly as you but yeah, I know. Is that a problem?"

"Well, it can be… at times." She didn't seem personally offended but she also wasn't backing down. "If you are going to be effective at leading others, my advice is that you need to learn how to take feedback without expressing any defensiveness. Do you understand?"

I almost rolled my eyes at Nadia's attempt to instruct me on how to be an adult. _Why do I have to put up with this crap? _I stared at her and blinked a few times, swallowing my urge to fight back.

"With all due respect, Nadia, I don't know you well enough to take this much longer. Why don't we just say that I learned how to listen better and call it a day?" I stood up from the leather armchair and started toward the door. Before I got halfway across her voice echoed in the small space.

"Sit!" Nadia's commanding voice halted me in my tracks. I turned on my heel and looked at her with my eyes wide open. "Sit please, Milady. We are just getting started." I weighed my options and considered leaving the room and blowing off negotiations for good. _Why would I want to be a part of this boring political junk anyways? Well for one, Graves will be there and he seems pretty serious about it. I wonder if that is where he sees his future going? If I pass on this chance to learn to be more saavy, will that drive me down a different road from him and separate us even further?_

I looked to the leather armchair and slowly returned to its position in the room. I slunk down in the cushion and it made a squeak noise in an awkward fashion. "What if I don't like what you're teaching me? Can I get out of this at anytime?"

Nadia half smiled in a knowing way. "That is a good question, Dru. The answer is no. You must commit to the process and see it through. I'm here to tell you that this is not a cakewalk in any way. There will be awkward moments and times when you will want to bury your head in the sand. However that is part of the learning process. I am your mentor and my job is to see you come through this with flying colors. So, are you in or are you out?" Nadia outstretched her to me and appeared to be offering a formal handshake.

A week later, I found myself in a state of constant exhaustion and exhilaration. Between sorcery lessons with Leander, martial arts with August and Bruce and life lessons with Nadia, I was a hot mess. My brain literally ached with the amount of knowledge that I was soaking up. I had a headache the size of Texas.

In between classes, I hung out with my team as much as I could. I relished our moments together in the caf and just hanging out in my room. We were a clique and I loved the feeling of belonging. _I wouldn't trade this feeling for the world_. I felt like I knew who I was and where I was going, for once.

A few days later, I passed the third floor gallery windows that overlooked the front of the _schola. _As I scanned the front driveway, I noticed a caravan of SUV's driving through the main gates. I stopped and watched curiously, wanting to know what the pomp and circumstance was all about. I didn't get any notice of dignitaries stopping by. If I stood there too long I would be late to meet Nat for our training run.

The three black SUV's pulled up to a stop on the circular driveway of the Prima. The rear door of the second car opened up. A woman with a petite-frame, dressed in an ivory pantsuit, stepped out. Her chin-length dark hair was ironed straight and her graceful form caught my eye. Her skin was a beautiful creamy pale shade and her brown eyes complimented her long lashes. She wore an expensive pair of green suede heels. The only way to describe her style was… striking.

The other side of the SUV opened and a lanky, lean left leg extended out and touched the ground. The man was wearing a blue button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, dark washed jeans, black boots with a classic pair of Ray Ban's. _Holy mother of God._ It was Graves.

The other SUV's began unloading their cargo including the passengers – _wulfen _representatives and a security detail. Several wore suits and all of them looked important. There was no announcement of the arrival of the _wulfen_ caravan. For security reasons they arrived mid-daylight when the least chance of an attack could occur.

I was so surprised by the sight, I froze up. Even my voice went mute at the welcomed sight of Graves. Even from a distance I could see that he looked so different… more mature, poised, confident and deep down, still Goth Boy_. All he needs is that long black trench._

Ignoring all of my _svetocha_ training on manners and customs from Nadia, I started running down the hardwood hallways toward the stairs. I ran so fast that when I tried to stop at a mirror to see my reflection, I skidded and hit the wall with an "Umph!" When I recovered, I gaped at my reflection. _I look like crap! My hair is wild and loose and I'm wearing my workout gear for God's sake - black running pants, sports bra and loose fitted tee. No make up, no brush and no gum! _ '_Well Dru-girl what ya gonna do now?' as Gran would say when I was in a predicament. _

I continued bolting down the stairs and to the first landing as the _wulfen_ started to enter through the heavy wooden doors with the iron scrollwork. There were twelve individuals in all. The senior members of the Order were already waiting in a procession line to meet them. Bruce was standing near the front and greeted two of the _wulfen_ elders with a handshake.

I could see the Order guards flanked by the front door entrance. _Wulfen_ and _djamphire_ faculty and students started to wander into the great entryway to see the commotion. Upon realizing who was entering, the _wulfen _students bowed their heads in respect for the arriving dignitaries.

I held my breath as I searched the front hall for Graves. I knew he was a head taller than most so he was easy to spot from a distance. I gathered my courage and started walking down the steps toward the first floor. Several _wulfen _and_ djamphire_ eyes turned towards me and I immediately sensed the energy of their stares. _I hate it when people look at me like that. I'll never get used to that feeling of all eyes on me._

From across the great room with the glass ceiling, Graves looked up. His green gaze met mine. I couldn't help but release a half smile at the beauty of him. As I reached the last few steps, I was so entranced that I almost stepped on Ash who was lingering near the first level. He appeared to also be in awe of what he was seeing. "I'm sorry, Ash." I spoke in a clumsy manner.

The _wulfen_ entourage seemed to clear a path as Graves moved toward the staircase where I stood. Now that I was closer to him, I could see a diamond stud sparkling on his still pierced earlobe. His eyes were bright and full of life. His hair was cut short in the back and longer on the top, which was styled all casual and messy, as if he just woke up. His form was tall and fit and real. His lips curled in coyly as he continued striding in my direction.

When he was within an arm's reach, he stopped. My aspect fluttered uncontrollably through my wild hair, smoothing it down into waves. Standing on the staircase, I was just about the same height as Goth Boy. After a moment of taking in my visage, Graves spoke in an alluring and familiar voice. "Dru… is that short for something… like Druscilla?"

I realized that I was still smirking since I spotted him from across the room. Upon hearing that smart-ass sense of humor again, I couldn't help but smile. My arms opened wide and I hugged Graves around his neck, over the railing, and pressed my upper body into his broad chest. The scent of him was more intense than I remembered. The mix of aftershave, strawberries and male _wulf_ triggered my olfactics. They say the sense of smell is the strongest of the five senses and the most adept at triggering memories. Without a doubt, the smell of Graves reminded me of... home.

I couldn't let go of him just yet and I didn't care what others thought. Finally I spoke, but did so as I turned my forehead into his neck, which was scruffy with a day's growth of facial hair. Without looking him in the eyes I gave him a smart-ass response. "Maybe it is… Edgar."

**Readers: Dru's first love has finally returned to the schola. Is Dru going to have to face him across a table and/or compete in the physical challenge against him? Who is the woman that arrived with Graves? Will Dru meet all of these challenges with success or does something have to give? See you next week friends.**


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